Senate Panel Approves Outdoor Recreation Bill

A U.S. Senate committee yesterday approved a bill that would preserve and improve access to recreational fishing and other outdoor activities on federal lands.

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources unanimously approved the America’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2022.

In a statement after the vote, American Sportfishing Association president Glenn Hughes called the measure a “comprehensive set of provisions to ensure our public lands are well-managed and conserved to benefit the outdoor recreation economy and all those who love the outdoors.”

For anglers, the new law would improve visitation data collection, expand watercraft inspections for invasive species and create an inventory of recreational activities that the federal agencies would be required to manage, protect and enhance.